1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data processing techniques and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for providing a real-time communication session between a customer service representative and a remote customer.
2. Related Art
Many conventional electronic devices (e.g., computers, digital cameras, DVD players, etc.) offer a wide range of functionality and are increasingly becoming more complex. Indeed, many of these devices can be complicated to operate, and users of these devices often encounter difficulties in getting the devices to behave in a desired manner. Often, the users must expend a relatively large amount of time and effort to get the devices to perform desired functionality. For example, a user may first experiment with an electric device in attempt to get the device to perform a desired function. If the user is unable to operate the device as desired, the user may then consult the device's handbook or other sources of help information provided by the manufacturer or retailer of the device. Unfortunately, locating useful information within the help sources provided by the device's manufacturer or retailer can be quite burdensome for the user.
In this regard, help information provided by the manufacturer or retailer normally includes information pertaining to a wide range of topics, and locating information on a topic of interest can be difficult and/or time consuming. In addition, it is possible that the provided help information does not pertain to the problem or problems experienced by the user. Therefore, the user is often unable or unwilling to effectively utilize the help information.
Since many users often are unable or unwilling to utilize the manufacturer's or retailer's help resources to solve difficulties encountered by the users, many manufacturers or retailers employ customer service representatives who are knowledgeable about the products sold by the manufacturer or retailer. When a user encounters a problem or a difficulty in operating a device, the user may contact one of the customer service representatives of the manufacturer or retailer in order to obtain advice. However, the contact information necessary for contacting a suitable customer service representative is not always readily available. Furthermore, even if the user locates the contact information of a customer service representative, the user is not always able to get immediate assistance. For example, the contact information of the customer representative may include the customer service representative's telephone number. However, the user may not have a telephone handy. In another example, the contact information may include the representative's e-mail address, but the user may not have immediate access to a device capable of communicating e-mail messages.
In addition, once the user has established communication with a customer service representative, the customer service representative is often not able to diagnose the user's problem or difficulty with the information provided by the user. For example, to discover the source of a problem, the customer service representative may need to investigate the present status of the device. Often, the user is unable to extract such status information from the device. As an example, the status information may be maintained within an internal register or some other memory location that the user is unable to access. In another example, the process of extracting the needed information may be too difficult for the user who, in some cases, is not very familiar with the device. Thus, in some situations, the customer service representative is unable to diagnose the user's problem until a trained technician analyzes the device. Unfortunately, a trained technician is not always readily available, and the user must either wait until a technician can meet the user or until the user can take the device to a technician.